Cancer antigen 125. The cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) test uses an antibody against antigen from tissue culture of an ovarian tumor cell line. Various published evaluations report sensitivity of about 75%–80% in patients with ovarian carcinoma. There is also an appreciable incidence of elevated values in nonovarian malignancies and in certain benign conditions (see […]
Cervix. The mainstay of screening for uterine carcinoma is the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. For Pap examination of the cervix, material is best obtained directly from the cervix by some type of scraping technique. Vaginal irrigation or vaginal pool smears are reported to be only 50%–75% as accurate as cervical scrape for detection of cervical carcinoma. […]
Mammography. Until 1960 diagnosis of mammary carcinoma depended on discovery of a breast mass by physical examination, followed by a biopsy of the lesion. It has been said that, with experience, carcinoma as small as 1 cm may be regularly detected by palpation. After 1960, x-ray study of the breast (mammography) began to receive considerable […]
Predisposition to colon cancer. Certain conditions either predispose to colon cancer or are frequently associated with it. These include age over 40 years; family history of cancer; the syndromes of multiple polyposis, Gardner’s syndrome, and Peutz-Jegher’s syndrome; and ulcerative colitis present for more than 8 years. The chance of having a second colon cancer simultaneously […]
The three most important pancreatic tumors are carcinoma of the exocrine pancreas (pancreatic adenocarcinoma of duct origin), islet cell tumors producing insulin (insulinoma), and islet cell tumors producing gastrin (gastrinoma) associated with the Zollinger-Ellison (Z-E) syndrome. Exocrine adenocarcinoma. Carcinoma of the pancreas as a descriptive term usually refers to an adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreatic […]
These are found mainly in the GI tract, although a minority are located in the lungs and a few arise in other locations. The appendix is the most frequent site of origin; these are almost always benign. Carcinoid are next most frequent in the terminal ileum and colon; these are frequently malignant. Carcinoid are considered […]
Tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract The major benign disease of the upper GI tract area is peptic ulcer; those of the lower GI tract are diverticulosis and mucosal polyp. The malignant disease usually affecting either area is the same—adenocarcinoma. The major clinical symptom of peptic ulcer is epigastric pain that occurs between meals and […]
Acid phosphatase-biochemical. Prostatic carcinoma often may be detected chemically because normal prostatic tissue is rich in the enzyme acid phosphatase, and adenocarcinomas arising from the prostate often retain the ability to produce this enzyme. Acid phosphatase is actually a group of closely related enzymes that share certain biochemical characteristics. Members of this group are found […]
Renal cell adenocarcinoma (hypernephroma) is about twice as frequent in males as in females. It occurs with about equal frequency in both kidneys. About 90% of cases occur after age 40, although more than 30 cases have been reported in children. About 80% of renal cell carcinomas are located in either the upper or the […]
Oncogenes are genes that function abnormally and help cause cancer. Oncogenes are inherited in a nononcogene form known as a protooncogene and require a triggering event to start abnormal activity. This event could be a mutation that occurs in the protooncogene itself within a single cell during mitosis. It could also be due to a […]
